Little Lost Fairy
by tulip meadow
Summary: A bit inspired by Wicked, but actually based on Alexandr Volkov's remakes of Oz stories. You think that good fairies have no problems and are never sad? Then read the story of Stella - a beautiful fairy ruling in a glorious fantasy land. Everyone loves her, her life is perfect... save for one thing...


**Little Lost Fairy**

Once upon a time there was a beautiful little girl who lived with her father, stepmother, and two elder stepsisters. The girl's name was Stella, her long wavy hair was the color of sunshine, her light blue eyes looked like forget-me-nots, and her skin was the color of a petal of the finest pink rose. Her voice rang like a most melodic song of the most gifted nightingale.

Her stepmother and stepsisters treated her like a slave, and her father was too busy working abroad to see it. But Stella bore everything with patience, always ready to help anyone. Even after her father died in a tragic accident.

One day her stepmother ordered her to go to the forest and gather fresh raspberries, forbidding her to return without a full basket. Note: it was January. The evil lady just wished to get rid of the unwanted child.

So Stella was given a loaf of black bread and a bottle of water, and she went into the blizzard.

While she was walking through the forest, desperately searching for at least some berries perhaps hidden under the snow, she suddenly encountered an old plump woman, dressed entirely in bright yellow.

"Hello, dear girl. Where are you heading?"

"I don't know," Stella confessed. "I was ordered to gather some raspberries."

"Well, you won't find any, so let's have a rest. I'm starving, though, I forgot my basket with food at home; could you give me something to eat?"

"But of course, madam, although I doubt you'll like it. I only have a loaf of bread and a bottle of water."

Stella gave the old woman her food, and the stranger thanked her and said:

"You'll be well paid for this."

The story sounds familiar to you, doesn't it? But it's not at all what it seems.

The old lady spoke:

"There are three ways from this place. Neither leads to your home, you've lost yourself in this forest. It's time when the forest's haunted. So you'll have to choose a new road now."

"W-which one?" Stella exclaimed, frightened and confused. The lady stood up:

"I'll tell you, in reward for your kindness, dear. The way on the left leads to the world where Money reigns. There is the River of Wealth on the way, and anyone who drinks from it gains wealth. The road is covered with gold and silver coins, and if you go there, you'll be rich, you'll live in a gold house and have mountains of money hidden in your cellars. The way on the right leads to the world where Fantasy rules. While going down the road, you'll see the Fountain of Youth – drink from it, and you'll be eternally young and blossoming. If you go there, you'll be a fairy, you'll rule over a magical country and live through numerous magical adventures."

"And the third road, madam?" Stella enquired.

"Oh! the third one. This is the road to the troubled, unfair world. If you go there, you will become an average worker on a textile factory, with just enough money to not die of starvation and cold. No one will notice your beauty, kindness and wit. Money rules this world too, but there is no River of Wealth to drink from. Money, Power, Cunningness… But! If you go there and preserve Fantasy and Fairytale in your heart, you may or may not be visited by the messenger of Happiness – the Bluebird. If she passes by you, you will find your dearest love, make a family, and be happy – be happy despite being poor, cold and hungry.

"I can't advise you which way to choose. Choose yourself, dear, think hard, it's your life and not mine. My fine choice might be ill for you."

"Which world do you come from?"

"The Fantasy world."

Stella bit her lip, her eyes wandering from one road to another. Finally, she said:

"I, too, choose the Fantasy world. I've always wanted to live in a fairytale!"

"Dear, I've told you what are your chances in either world. Are you sure?"

"Certainly!"

So Stella walked to the right. She drank from the Fountain of Youth and gained everlasting youth and beauty. Soon, she came to a magical land and grew up there under the guidance of the kind old fairy who brought her there, whose name was Willina.

When Stella turned fifteen, she was excelled in magic better than her tutor Willina. When Stella turned seventeen, she was made the Queen of a beautiful Rosy Country, with kindly (though sometimes foolish) Chatterbox people as her subjects. There she reigned from that time on.

She was completely happy. Her subjects adored her. She was living in a wonderful fairytale, with magical transporting shoes, flying monkeys, and life powder, and a thousand other magical things. She was a good Queen and always stayed a kind, just, and benevolent woman.

But sometimes, at night, she would wake up after a strange dream. She would dream of a textile factory, a dull tiring job, a poor small town – and a Bluebird flying past her, and her glance falling on a young brown-haired man with dark eyes and a joyous smile. Every time he would look just the same and smile at her tenderly in the same way, and every time a jolt of pain would go through Stella's heart after waking up.

Was her Happily-Ever-After full?

What was better – to live in a fairytale, preserving your love in your heart, soul and dreams, or vice versa?

Stella, the Good Fairy, the Queen of the Rosy Country, never really knew. A choice is offered only once.


End file.
